Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-05

800 " " f
ger could not be found. Doubtless
Luf had thrown il into the street,
where it had been picked up by some
unknown person.
There is little delay about frontier
Justice when Il victim is wanted, and
in this instance the whole town clam
ored for one. Court was in session.
and Judge Pike shared the general eX.
element. He was one OF the guests ut
the Metropolitan. and the fact that his
room was opposite the one in which
the murder was committed naturally
increased his interest in the case.
With Judge Pike on the bench there
was little doubt concerning The result.
An Indictment was found in no time,
and the trial opened On the second day
of my stay in Silverton.
The defendants attorney worked for
delay. They hoped that a ~protracted
trial would have the effect of cooling
the ut excitement of the hour. p
l spent the first day of the trial in
the court house, and watched the de-
PENDANT closely. Luff had Il rather
good face. 1t was weak, but lot vicious,
and, as | studied him, l found myself
sympathlzing with kim.
That night | had Il singular expert
ence. After sepper | spent u couple
of hours in Judge Pixies room and il
did not take me long to come to the
conclusion that his honor was Il very
| peculiar man. There was something
wrong about him. He could not be
! called a crank, but his nerves were out
Of order, and it occurred to me that he
was liable to break down at any time.
1t was past midnight when awoke.
The moonlight streamed into my
room, making every object in it plainly
visible. Feeling thirsty l left my bed
and went behind a little screen in one
corner of the room, where the wash
stand stood, to get a drink Of water.
While | was there | heard the door
open softly. This was OF surprising,
as the hotel was a rude affair and very
few of the doors were provided with
locks and keys. The thought Of Sax
on's fate made me n little timid, and
lay quietly behind the screen awaiting
further developments.
To my unutterable establishment,
who should enter the door but Judge
Pike.
My first impulse was to speak, but
W hat | saw siienced me, The Judge
was in his night clothes. One look AT
his face convinced ne that he was
asleep. In his right hand he carried q
dagger.
What was ! to do with this somam,
bulistP 1t would be dangerous tC
awaken him. l decided to wait ant
| watch.
With steathly steps the Judge advan,
ced to the side Of the bed He felt
cautiously with his let hand until he
felt a bunch in the covering, and then,
with the rapidity of lightning, h,
droyr his dagger into the bed clothes
up to the hilt. He did not tarry a sec
ond. but quietly vanished from the
room, closing the door after him.
AS soon as | could | barricadcd the
door with several pieces of furniture,
Then l sat down to think the matter
over.
If the Judge was a somnambulist
there vas no telling what he might do
Worse than that, there was no telling
what he had already done.
thought of the Luff case. Could i
be possible that Judge Pike, in one o.
bis sleep-walkiug fits. had killed Saxoni
1t looked very much like it. And the
dagger Perhaps it vas LufTs missing
weapon.
Il will make this thing public"
said to myself, and | proceeded tc
dress.
But | oon changed my mind. My
unsupported testimony would not be re,
garded. Judge Pike was n grave. dig.
niied man, past middle age. and he
was greatly respected by the miners,
1t would be folly on my part TO tell any
one of my adventure.
The second day of the trial developed
a strong case against Lufl; as strong {:
case rs circumstantial evidence could
make it.. In the meantime ] perfected
a plan which | hoped would lead to
surprising results.
My roommate that night was DR..
Hinton, one of the oldest and wealth
lest physicians of the place. The doc
tor was a popular man. He hao been
mayor of Silverton. and he was more
over, n lifelong friend Of Judge Pike.
| could not have selected a better man
for my purpose.
Again the moon flooded the room
with light as the previous night. | ar
ranged the bedclothes in the shape OF
a human figure, and stationed myself
behind the screen with DR.. Hinton.
Twelve o'clock came, and /, but we
remained undisturDed.
Ale is not coming whispered the
doctor.
perhaps NOT ! answered, ''but l
feel in duty bound to watch
Very well" yawncd the doctor, Il
am with you. but we did not 90 to
work in the right way
What would have been your plan?'
| asked.
..tVhy, simply this. We should